Rank and routing techniques for networked device

A network node, comprising:

• a radio to transmit messages to and from a parent node;
• a processor to control the radio;
• and
• a memory device comprising instructions defined thereon, the instructions configured to direct the processor to perform acts comprising:
• accessing data indicating a ranking of a plurality of nodes, wherein each node from among the plurality of nodes is associated with a group of nodes from among at least a first group of nodes, a second group of nodes, and a third group of nodes, wherein each node from among the first group of nodes is of higher link quality than each node from among the second group of nodes, and wherein each node from among the second group of nodes is of higher link quality than each node from among the third group of nodes;
• configuring a parent list using one-hop neighbors of the network node from the ranking of the plurality of nodes;
• selecting, from among nodes included in the first group of nodes and the parent list, a first parent node for the network node;
• sending data from the network node to a root node using the first parent node;
• accessing data indicating a revised ranking of the plurality of nodes, wherein the first parent node is no longer ranked within the first group of nodes;
• selecting, from among nodes included in the first group of nodes and the parent list, a second parent node for the network node;
• and
• sending data from the network node to the root node using the second parent node.

A method to reconfigure a mesh network, comprising:

• accessing data ranking a plurality of nodes, wherein a rank of a network node from among the plurality of nodes is based at least in part on a summation of link quality values between the network node and a root node and is equal to, or proportional to, the summation;
• configuring a parent list using one-hop neighbors of the network node from the ranking of the plurality of nodes;
• associating each node from among the plurality of nodes with one group of nodes from among groups of nodes comprising a first group of nodes, a second group of nodes, and a third group of nodes, wherein the associating is based on link quality, wherein the associating comprises part of the parent list of the network node within the mesh network;
• storing the parent list at the network node;
• selecting, based at least in part on the parent list, a first parent node for use by the network node, wherein the first parent node is selected from the first group of nodes;
• utilizing the first parent node to relay data from the network node over the mesh network;
• accessing the parent list, wherein the parent list indicates a revised ranking of the plurality of nodes, wherein the first parent node is no longer within the first group of nodes;
• selecting, from among the first group of nodes, and based at least in part on the parent list, a second parent node for the network node;
• and
• sending data from the network node to the root node using the second parent node.